


Dreamless Nights - One Shot

by Angel_Ashido



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Insomnia, Love Confessions, One Shot, Romance, Sweet, music box
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:54:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26749117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angel_Ashido/pseuds/Angel_Ashido
Summary: Ever since becoming free at the Keyblade Graveyard, Terra has been having trouble sleeping. Ghosts from his past refuse to be exorcised as he wanders the Land of Departure. Soon to depart the world he used to call home, he spends yet another sleepless night in The Great Hall, thoughts battling through an endless marathon in his mind. Much to his surprise, his salvation comes in the form of Aqua, and an old worn down music box.___The music box’s song petered out, leaving the two in silence. It wasn’t a heavy silence, though. It was… comfortable.“I… couldn’t seem to get to sleep. Normally listening to music helps. Following a melody… the guidance of it is really soothing.” Aqua said, finally. She wasn’t looking at Terra - her gaze was fixated on the little wooden box resting on her lap.“That music box… it looks familiar,” was all Terra could muster.“You made it for me.”“Ah,” come to think of it, he did, didn’t he? “I didn’t know you still had it.”“Of course I do. I could never lose it. Because… it was given to me by someone I care about,” she smiled down at the object, running a finger over the roughly varnished surface.
Relationships: Aqua & Terra (Kingdom Hearts), Aqua/Terra (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	Dreamless Nights - One Shot

Pale moonlight pushed through slim glass panes, illuminating the cobbled floor. The Great Hall had an eerie stillness about it, though Terra found comfort in the silent scorn that reverberated through the great expanse. He… was back home. Nostalgia wavered in the atmosphere; a nostalgia that seemed to outweigh the dancing dust particles that he always caught out of the corner of his eye. The moon’s light was illuminating the dust, sending blocks of pearly illumination to highlight the time that had been lost. Terra shuddered at the thought. 

At first, his homecoming felt rather peculiar. After spending so much time in a dark chokehold, he had started to think that The Land of Departure was just a distant dream. A beautiful, timeless, dream. One with loving friends, a stern yet caring master, and stars… stars that spanned as far as the eye could see. He could see them through the high window as he sat at the foot of Master Eraqus’ chair. His back rested against the dark wood; he could feel the slightly weathered floor beneath his hands. Proof of existence. Proof that Master Eraqus had existed. Proof that Terra existed. He lifted a hand and ran it across his forearm - goosebumps prickled beneath his fingertips. 

Since his return, every night had panned out the same. He would tell Aqua and Ventus “Goodnight,” and then go to his room. After tossing and turning for approximately two hours, he would wander down to The Great Hall. And then… he would just let his mind wander. Sitting by Eraqus’ chair helped, he thought. It had become somewhat of a comfort. 

They were due to leave The Land of Departure soon. Terra had felt himself growing more and more nervous about it with each day’s passing. The last time he left The Land of Departure, he had caused so much pain. Not just for Ventus, Aqua and himself, but for Riku and his friends; for everyone around them. 

He sat in reflection for a while - undisturbed. Ordinarily, he would go back to his room and wait for the sun to rise - to get a few hours of rest in. The others had probably noticed that he was sleep-deprived, just as he had noticed how tired they had seemed. Both Aqua and Ventus had a growing shade of indigo beneath their cerulean eyes. None of them complained though. Nobody dared to bring it up, lest they all have to cry over it. It was somewhat of an unspoken thing - Aqua didn’t like to bring up The Realm of Darkness, Ventus seemed to squirm at the mention of sleeping, and Terra was far too ashamed to talk about his brief, yet life-changing, affair with the darkness. 

Terra had slumped back further, his eyes squeezed shut in what may have been meditation, or an attempt at sleep, or a desperate end to the tears threatening him. However, this night was different. Instead of being left alone, he heard a quiet noise in the distance. He opened his eyes and looked around. The noise sounded like… music? He sat up, hearing the demure tune grow closer. Was it… some form of heartless? An unversed, perhaps? He would soon realise that that wasn’t the case.

“So… you can’t sleep either, huh?” Aqua’s voice was soft - it was as though she was standing on sacred ground, as though raising her voice would disturb an age-old spirit. 

She had climbed up the staircase and was walking towards him - her metal boots making a ‘clacking’ noise with each step she took. Terra quickly realised that she was holding something. 

He ignored her question. Not out of ill-will, but because he simply didn’t want to talk about it. “A music box?”

Aqua was holding a small, wooden, music-box. It was carefully cupped in her hands as though it was the most precious thing in the world. Once she had made it in front of him, she nodded towards the area next to him - asking permission to sit, Terra assumed. He nodded in response. There was something about talking that seemed… almost taboo. 

The music box’s song petered out, leaving the two in silence. It wasn’t a heavy silence, though. It was… comfortable. 

“I… couldn’t seem to get to sleep. Normally listening to music helps. Following a melody… the guidance of it is really soothing.” Aqua said, finally. She wasn’t looking at Terra - her gaze was fixated on the little wooden box resting on her lap. 

“That music box… it looks familiar,” was all Terra could muster. 

“You made it for me.”

“Ah,” come to think of it, he did, didn’t he? “I didn’t know you still had it.”

“Of course I do. I could never lose it. Because… it was given to me by someone I care about,” she smiled down at the object, running a finger over the roughly varnished surface.

Terra used to enjoy carpentry. Making thing out of wood was a skill of his; if he hadn’t been a keyblade wielder, then perhaps he would have pursued a career as a carpenter. Looking at his old work made him cringe slightly. The measurements and filing were perfect - beyond it being a little weathered, it was perfect. However, the crudely layered on blue paint was causing somewhat of an offence to the eyes. Royal blue with misshapen scarlet flowers had never been a good idea. Beyond that, it had managed to chip over the years, adding to its unsightly appeal. 

“It’s seen better days.”

“‘When you treasure something, it can get a little… worn down. But it still works. Even after all these years…” 

Terra leaned back again, closing his eyes, “Resilient.” 

Aqua followed his lead and relaxed her body. She turned the small cog again, and the box sprung back to life. The two sat for a while, just listening to the melancholy little song. Terra hadn’t written it specifically; he had just followed the steps in an old book. The music box was just meant to be a challenge. It was only halfway through the project that he decided to make it a gift. 

“Terra… you’ve been quiet lately. It’s okay to speak to us about things, you know?”

“I know,” he replied. He didn’t really though… talking just seemed impossible sometimes. The words would fight to come out of his head, to free themselves from his mind, but his throat would clam up and refuse to let them out. Fighting it would only further exhaust him. Besides, he didn’t think they were all that important anyway. 

“Ven and I are here to help. We really care about you. When I was…” she faltered, taking a deep breath, “trapped… I thought about the two of you every day. The thought of you two kept me strong; I just… wanted you to know that.”

Terra didn’t respond. He remained still - unmoving from his position. Aqua didn’t push any further, letting him digest what she had said. When Terra started talking again, her body relaxed - she hadn’t even realised that she was holding her breath.

“I thought about you too. And Ven. But… I would keep thinking about all of the things I never told you. All of the things I wasn’t able to say. Talking… hurts. Actions are just easier, I think.”

His voice sounded almost pained as he forced the words out. Terra looked directly at Aqua and the two looked into each other’s eyes for the first time that night. He had read about how you could look into someone’s eyes and see their soul - Terra had never understood that. It seemed… implausible. And yet, at that moment, he thought that he could see her soul. Thought that he could see all of the pain and agony that she had felt. Thought that he could see the ghosts of every demon she had faced; every second spent parted from him. 

A gloved hand felt around in the darkness, searching. It found its way over to Terra’s hand and, for the first time since he had returned, he finally felt like he was home. 

“Aqua, I-”

“You don’t have to speak. Let’s just… listen.” 

And so, they did. The music box chimed on, its mechanisms spinning for the two warriors. At some point, Terra sidled closer to Aqua, feeling the steady warmth her body was providing. They felt truly united, sitting hand in hand and lamenting all of the wasted time. Terra could have sworn that their hearts were dancing in sync - dancing to the soft song of the music box. Once more, the song faded as the box slowed to a stop. 

The two spoke without looking at each other. 

“Aqua.”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

She placed the music box to her right. Without responding, she turned her body and wrapped her arms around Terra’s torso. Her head rested on his shoulder, blue strands of mussed-up hair tickling his cheek. 

“I’ve always loved you.”

The fond smile that grew on Terra’s face felt… beautiful. It all felt so very beautiful. 

He held her in his arms for what felt like ten years - perhaps they were making up for all the lost time. For all of the tender touches that could have been. For all of the gentle smiles that had been robbed from them. For all of the love that never was. It was all happening now, though. Darkness, pain and sorrow all felt like a distant memory. 

This was real. 

His eyes started to burn, but this time he didn’t fight it. The two sat in the empty hall, weeping for everything that had happened, yet smiling for everything that would happen. 

And it was everything Terra had dreamed it would be.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a One-Shot inspired by a writing prompt over on the 'Lazy Afternoons' Discord - the prompt was 'music'. If you have any feedback, I'd be more than happy to hear it! Thank you for reading - hope you have a lovely day.


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